Statement on Article 50 vote

I campaigned for remain and still believe that it is not in our best interests to leave the European Union. However to say that because the vote went the wrong way we are going to ignore the votes of millions of people up and down the country, would be a blow to democracy.

This does not mean that we have to accept Brexit in the haphazard way in which it is being handed to us. I like many are rightfully concerned about Theresa May’s Brexit. A Brexit in accordance with Tory values.

I was in Parliament for the Maastricht Treaty, which was just a revision to the EU Treaty. We debated it for forty-two days. MPs have been given just five days to debate coming out of the EU all together. This demonstrates how arrogant Theresa May is, how much she does not want to involve Parliament, and how much she wants to bulldoze things through.

The passage of this Bill has been a challenge for Labour. Our MPs represent the top six most passionately pro-leave constituencies, and the six most passionately pro-remain constituencies.

Following the decision taken by the Shadow Cabinet on voting for the Article 50 Bill, I voted for the Bill as a loyal supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and a loyal member of the Shadow Cabinet.

Labour will continue to oppose Theresa May’s intention to carry out a ‘Hard Brexit’. We will continue to fight for jobs and living standards, to protect workers’ rights and environmental standards and the rights of EU citizens, which are all under threat.